Monday, August 30, 2010

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Kind of.

“Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.” – Henry David Thoreau

So, today has been a long day already. Since our flight doesn’t leave until 9:30 tonight, we have been hanging out all day. (Thank goodness I learned how to procrastinate in college.)

Throughout the day, as groups gradually left to head to the airport, the goodbyes and hugs were exchanged. YAV love abounded as general nervousness was expressed by many. (My apologies go out to the people who left at 2:30 or 7:30 a.m. without a send off.)

For me, the next 24 hours carry two certainties: it will be lacking a long period of sleep, and it will basically be 24 hours straight of continuously eating. Thank you, in-flight meal.

During the past few months, since graduation really, my life has felt surreal and extremely transitional. In talking with other YAVs today, I realized that that feeling is gone. Right now, I have the feeling that this is it; this is what I am being called to do. I am right where God has wanted me to be. I follow in the footsteps of over 1000 YAVs before me and am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.

This year will bring new experiences, hopefully new wisdoms, and perhaps a new and better perspective on the world and my place in it.

While it is painful to say goodbye to the other YAVs, it is time to get to work. To go out into the world, and to do what and be whom God is calling us to be.